Naegleria fowleri, often referred to as the “brain-eating amoeba,” is commonly found in freshwater environments such as lakes, ponds, rivers, hot springs, as well as in poorly maintained swimming pools and tap water pipelines. A resident of Karachi succumbed to the Naegleria fowleri infection on Saturday, marking the ninth fatality of the disease this year, as confirmed by a health official on Monday.
Adnan Tariq, a 45-year-old shopkeeper residing in North Karachi Sector 11-A, initially developed a fever on Wednesday night, according to a preliminary report from the Directorate-General Health Services Sindh. While his fever slightly subsided on Thursday morning, he experienced muscle weakness and an altered state of consciousness, prompting a visit to a private hospital that evening. Upon the hospital’s recommendation, Tariq was admitted to the intensive care unit at Agha Khan Hospital on Thursday and remained there until Friday. Unfortunately, his health deteriorated, and he passed away on Saturday.
Shabbir Ali Babar, spokesperson for the Sindh Health Department, noted, “After the latest death from Naegleria the other day, the total deaths from the infection this year have reached nine.”
The report on Tariq’s case found no recent history of swimming or visits to locations with potentially contaminated water sources. He primarily used water supplied from a main pump and occasionally purchased water from tankers. However, the report revealed that the patient had visited various mosques in the city. Based on the findings, the report concluded that it was most likely that the patient got infected while performing ablution at his workplace. It urged authorities to assess and maintain proper chlorination processes and chlorine levels in major water reservoirs supplying the city. Additionally, it called on authorities to inspect pipelines for leakages and promptly address them to prevent contamination with sewage water. The report also emphasized the importance of raising awareness among the public about regular treatment of water tanks with bleaching powder.
Since the first recorded case in 2008, the brain-eating amoeba has become a relatively recent concern in Pakistan, with over 100 recorded deaths, including at least 47 in the past six years, as reported by the Sindh Health Department’s Naegleria monitoring and inspection team.
